The Dupuy de Lôme was the lead vessel of her class of two French Navy submarines built during World War I, representing a design focused on high-speed, steam-powered underwater vessels. She measured 75 meters (246 feet 1 inch) in length, with a beam of 6.39 meters (21 feet) and a draft of 4.05 meters (13 feet 3 inches). Displacing 853 metric tons (840 long tons) on the surface and 1,291 metric tons (1,271 long tons) submerged, she was crewed by 41 officers and sailors. Her propulsion system was notably different from typical diesel-electric subs, utilizing two oil-fired du Temple boilers to generate steam for two three-cylinder vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each driving a propeller shaft. These engines produced a total of approximately 4,000 metric horsepower (3,945 bhp) with a designed surface speed of 19 knots, though she achieved only 18 knots during trials. Submerged, her electric motors, rated at 820 metric horsepower, allowed her to reach about 11 knots, slightly below the intended 11.5 knots. Her operational range was 960 nautical miles at 14.2 knots on the surface and 135 nautical miles at 5.8 knots submerged. Armament comprised eight 450-millimeter torpedoes, with two internal bow tubes and six external launchers—four amidships and two at the stern—offering broadside and forward firing capabilities. An anti-aircraft armament was added during her construction, initially planned as a 47 mm gun but later upgraded to a 75 mm gun, along with a second 75 mm gun added in 1916. Laid down in 1913 by the Arsenal de Toulon, Dupuy de Lôme was launched on 9 September 1915 and commissioned in July 1916. She served during the war with a minor role and was decommissioned in 1935. Ultimately, she was sold for scrap in 1938, marking the end of her maritime career. Her design and service exemplify the French Navy’s experimentation with steam-powered submarines in the early 20th century, emphasizing high speed and innovative armament configurations.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.